COVID-19 pandemic: the implications of the natural history, challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory infection which has afflicted virtually almost all nations of the earth. It is highly transmissible and represents one of the most serious pandemics in recent times, with the capacity to overwhelm any healthcare system...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43088-021-00106-x |
| _version_ | 1818649049017876480 |
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| author | Lawrence Omo-Aghoja Emuesiri Goodies Moke Kenneth Kelechi Anachuna Adrian Itivere Omogbiya Emuesiri Kohworho Umukoro Pere-Ebi Yabrade Toloyai Tarela Melish Elias Daubry Anthony Taghogho Eduviere |
| author_facet | Lawrence Omo-Aghoja Emuesiri Goodies Moke Kenneth Kelechi Anachuna Adrian Itivere Omogbiya Emuesiri Kohworho Umukoro Pere-Ebi Yabrade Toloyai Tarela Melish Elias Daubry Anthony Taghogho Eduviere |
| author_sort | Lawrence Omo-Aghoja |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory infection which has afflicted virtually almost all nations of the earth. It is highly transmissible and represents one of the most serious pandemics in recent times, with the capacity to overwhelm any healthcare system and cause morbidity and fatality. Main content The diagnosis of this disease is daunting and challenging as it is dependent on emerging clinical symptomatology that continues to increase and change very rapidly. The definitive test is the very expensive and scarce polymerase chain reaction (PCR) viral identification technique. The management has remained largely supportive and empirical, as there are no officially approved therapeutic agents, vaccines or antiviral medications for the management of the disease. Severe cases often require intensive care facilities and personnel. Yet there is paucity of facilities including the personnel required for diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is against this backdrop that a review of key published reports on the pandemic in SSA and globally is made, as understanding the natural history of a disease and the documented responses to diagnosis and management is usually a key public health strategy for designing and improving as appropriate, relevant interventions. Lead findings were that responses by most nations of SSA were adhoc, paucity of public health awareness strategies and absence of legislations that would help enforce preventive measures, as well as limited facilities (including personal protective equipment) and institutional capacities to deliver needed interventions. Conclusion COVID-19 is real and has overwhelmed global health care system especially low-income countries of the sub-Sahara such as Nigeria. Suggestions for improvement of healthcare policies and programs to contain the current pandemic and to respond more optimally in case of future pandemics are made herein. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T01:28:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de2d63c523114fd48395b1f75798ea5b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2314-8543 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T01:28:08Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-de2d63c523114fd48395b1f75798ea5b2022-12-21T22:08:39ZengSpringerOpenBeni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences2314-85432021-03-0110111610.1186/s43088-021-00106-xCOVID-19 pandemic: the implications of the natural history, challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub-Saharan AfricaLawrence Omo-Aghoja0Emuesiri Goodies Moke1Kenneth Kelechi Anachuna2Adrian Itivere Omogbiya3Emuesiri Kohworho Umukoro4Pere-Ebi Yabrade Toloyai5Tarela Melish Elias Daubry6Anthony Taghogho Eduviere7DELSU Biomedical Research Alliance Working Group, College of Health Sciences, Delta State UniversityDELSU Biomedical Research Alliance Working Group, College of Health Sciences, Delta State UniversityDELSU Biomedical Research Alliance Working Group, College of Health Sciences, Delta State UniversityDELSU Biomedical Research Alliance Working Group, College of Health Sciences, Delta State UniversityDELSU Biomedical Research Alliance Working Group, College of Health Sciences, Delta State UniversityDELSU Biomedical Research Alliance Working Group, College of Health Sciences, Delta State UniversityDELSU Biomedical Research Alliance Working Group, College of Health Sciences, Delta State UniversityDELSU Biomedical Research Alliance Working Group, College of Health Sciences, Delta State UniversityAbstract Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory infection which has afflicted virtually almost all nations of the earth. It is highly transmissible and represents one of the most serious pandemics in recent times, with the capacity to overwhelm any healthcare system and cause morbidity and fatality. Main content The diagnosis of this disease is daunting and challenging as it is dependent on emerging clinical symptomatology that continues to increase and change very rapidly. The definitive test is the very expensive and scarce polymerase chain reaction (PCR) viral identification technique. The management has remained largely supportive and empirical, as there are no officially approved therapeutic agents, vaccines or antiviral medications for the management of the disease. Severe cases often require intensive care facilities and personnel. Yet there is paucity of facilities including the personnel required for diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is against this backdrop that a review of key published reports on the pandemic in SSA and globally is made, as understanding the natural history of a disease and the documented responses to diagnosis and management is usually a key public health strategy for designing and improving as appropriate, relevant interventions. Lead findings were that responses by most nations of SSA were adhoc, paucity of public health awareness strategies and absence of legislations that would help enforce preventive measures, as well as limited facilities (including personal protective equipment) and institutional capacities to deliver needed interventions. Conclusion COVID-19 is real and has overwhelmed global health care system especially low-income countries of the sub-Sahara such as Nigeria. Suggestions for improvement of healthcare policies and programs to contain the current pandemic and to respond more optimally in case of future pandemics are made herein.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43088-021-00106-xCOVID-19Natural historyRespiratory infectionManagementNigeria |
| spellingShingle | Lawrence Omo-Aghoja Emuesiri Goodies Moke Kenneth Kelechi Anachuna Adrian Itivere Omogbiya Emuesiri Kohworho Umukoro Pere-Ebi Yabrade Toloyai Tarela Melish Elias Daubry Anthony Taghogho Eduviere COVID-19 pandemic: the implications of the natural history, challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub-Saharan Africa Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences COVID-19 Natural history Respiratory infection Management Nigeria |
| title | COVID-19 pandemic: the implications of the natural history, challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | COVID-19 pandemic: the implications of the natural history, challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 pandemic: the implications of the natural history, challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 pandemic: the implications of the natural history, challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | COVID-19 pandemic: the implications of the natural history, challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | covid 19 pandemic the implications of the natural history challenges of diagnosis and management for care in sub saharan africa |
| topic | COVID-19 Natural history Respiratory infection Management Nigeria |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43088-021-00106-x |
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